LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]



Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

WMN opinion: Subsidy cuts must affect the dash for onshore wind 

Credit:  Western Morning News | www.thisiscornwall.co.uk 3 August 2012 ~~

How you react to the news today that Westcountry local authorities are close to the top of the pile when it comes to applications for wind turbines depends on your point of view. Pro-renewables organisations will point to the jobs and the wealth created for our region through development of onshore wind power. But critics will complain that the turbines spoil the view and cost every energy bill payer a substantial premium because of the subsidies payable on “green” energy.

What is not in doubt is the growing uneasiness, politically, with onshore wind farms. Conservative MPs, who know how negatively many of their rural-dwelling constituents view applications for turbines, are already putting on the pressure to have the subsidy payments reduced. So far ministers have compromised, cutting back on the payments to reflect the reduced cost of installing renewable energy – but not cutting as deeply as many sceptical MPs would like.

We can understand their concern at subsidy levels being too high. Recessionary pressures and already inflated energy prices have pushed electricity bills sky-high. No one likes to pay the extra charges to cover the subsidy. On the other hand if we are to have a renewables industry and move away from fossil fuels, financial support is necessary, at least at the start.

The problem, for many years, has been the disproportionate emphasis on land-based turbines in beautiful upland areas with windy west facing slopes. That pretty much describes Cornwall, north Devon and western Devon and explains why our region has borne the brunt, or enjoyed the lion’s share (depending on your point of view) of the rush for wind.

Our guess is that onshore wind is never going to be acceptable to the majority and that, over time, it will be displaced by offshore turbines and other, less intrusive, forms of green energy, including bio-mass generators, solar power and – perhaps most promising of all – tidal and wave power. How quickly that comes will depend on the speed at which the technology can be developed and the level of subsidy that keeps wind turbines profitable. We suspect the pressure to cut back on those payments can only increase which should at least focus minds on more efficient and less unsightly green energy projects.

Source:  Western Morning News | www.thisiscornwall.co.uk 3 August 2012

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon